RCI is the WORST!!! "TEST" surcharge at Johnny Rockets in effect

I guess what I'm not getting about this whole surcharge thing is that if my family of four walks into JR just for some french fries and onion rings, we have a coke sticker on our cards (so no charge for a soda), that we will get charged $15.80 (3.95 x 4). That's a lot of money for an order or two of fries or rings that were previously free.

i stick to the premise that if you are chronologically or emotionally between 2 and 16 you will enjoy carnival much better. if you don't want to hear announcemants all day long, enjoy better food, better service, better entertainment and better nightlife, cruise rccl. the added bonus is you don't have to listen to the little kids (OF ALL AGES) complain about one thing or another. if you don't want to pay the outrageous $3.95 for johnny rockets, eat at the other 12 options (including room service). btw, they charge for coctails too and all of you complaining about the $3.95 better not be sneaking alcohol aboard because when you signed up for your cruise you must have understood that bringing your own liquor aboard was against the terms of your agreement..... so have fun already...

I work in marketing and pr and am shaking my head over how RCCL has handled this. Someone needs to be fired and pronto. Imposing the fee with no grandfather clause is a close relative to bait and switch tactics, in my opinion.

I think what people DON'T GET is that it's not about the $3.95 charge--yes, we can all afford it and yes, we can stay away from JR if the charge annoys us. Fine but anyone who doesn't believe that this 'test run' of added fees is just the tip of the iceberg is pretty naive. Cruising is not THAT great a deal (as some would lead us to believe)--many top all-inclusive resorts charge less and that's including alcohol.

I love traveling, I enjoy cruising and I can't wait for our family's June cruise on the Mariner but a little bloom is definitely off the cruising rose for me (as I just told Mr. Fain in an email--can't wait to get my 'personalized' reply).

Good gracious! I personally don't agree with the surcharge, but I feel happy and lucky enough to cruise at all......Morgsmom, I thought you got unecessarily blasted on your Labadee post but now I have changed my mind. First of all, Labadee is being skipped for YOUR SAFETY! Second, Johnny Rockets....it's a test charge, it may not last. I'm sorry you have to deal with it on your cruise but really, 3.95 is not something to make a fuss about and let ruin your entire cruise and THIRD, I respect everyone's opinions but coming on to a message board to ruin EVERYONE else's opinions about RCI is just disgusting. Can we just all be happy?!
Sorry-just wanted to add that the third point is directed to morgsmom, not to any of you who have voiced your opinions calmly and eloquently. Morgsmom, I'm sure you are a great person but stop trying to wreck it for everyone.

Ashley, I don't feel lucky to cruise, since I'm paying for it... It's not just 3.95, because most of us will be taking at least four people there, so it's more like 16.00, plus whatever you drink, as that's still not included. It's not going to ruin my cruise, as I have fun wherever I am and whatever I'm doing, but that doesn't excuse the fact that this charge is inappropriate, and wrong on principle. Finally, I think that a message board that is primarily focused on RCCL is the perfect place to complain about this type of charge. If everyone posts happy thoughts and never complains, you can be assured that more charges will come our way.

What I meant is that it is nice to have the means to take cruises, of course we're paying but at least we can do it.....no experience is going to be perfect but it's going to be what you make out of it. I don't mind constructive complaining but I do mind complaining with the intent to drive people away and ruin it for everyone else. Morgsmom has done nothing but whine on this board and she's not asking questions to get answers, she's making statements (which she is entitled to of course) that are starting to rub everyone the wrong way. I don't want to bash her but she obviously doesn't like RCI and it seems like she is purposely trying to drive everyone else into her misery.

I do believe that is an accepted means of communicating one's opinion. Perhaps you shoiuld excercise the option of not reading the messages if all you want to hear is pleasant thoughts. She's not driving anybody away RCL is doing it themselves.

It is easy to see both sides of the discussion. I totally agree that it is wrong and cheap of RCL to change the rules after people have already booked their cruise and it is too late for them to change their reservations. If they were going to start charging, they should have made people aware of their intentions months in advance.

I do, however, understand their need for a surcharge. I was recently on the Explorer where we ate at JR's a few times on our cruise (I, for one, appreciate an extra greasy cheeseburger and love their chili dogs) and we witnessed wastefulness that was just utterly disgusting. Kids would come up and order food, take a couple bites of it and then throw it away... and then come back 5 minutes later and do it again! A couple of guys dining next to us couldn't make up their minds so they ordered one of everything on the menu!

These are the main reasons why RCL is doing what they are. If people were more appreciative of 'what they are getting for their money', instead of seeing 'how much they can get for their money' these kind of measures wouldn't be necessary.